Anxiety Disorders In Children: 3 Tips To Help Your Children
Just like adults, children can also suffer from anxiety. Although this is something common, typical of human beings, in some cases anxiety can exceed normal levels.
Anxiety in children can occur due to different factors than in adults based on different fears or responses that can occur due to different situations. In this article Let’s delve into anxiety in childhood and also offer some advice to parents to help their children.
To know if your child has anxiety, you have to know how he or she responds to different situations This is because anxiety is characterized by a response that aims to protect us from danger. In this case, the human body reacts cognitively, physiologically and also behaviorally.
A cognitive response is one that focuses the child’s thinking on what generates anxiety This attention can range from mild concern to absolute terror.
Does the physiological response manifest itself in the body itself as sweating, tremors, increased heart rate, muscle tension? a wide variety of situations that you will surely know.
Finally, The behavioral response is one that makes the child act in a different way For example, he avoids socializing if he is afraid of being humiliated or he does not go outside at night if he is afraid of the dark.
As we have mentioned, suffering from some anxiety is normal. As time goes by, children learn that darkness in the room is not bad or that exams can be passed if they study, that is, temporary situations that may seem like a world to a child until they really realize that They are not serious problems.
However, it is important to clarify that excessive anxiety in children occurs quite easily, and this is because it can become a disorder for different reasons that must be known. These are some of the most common situations that can cause this anxiety.
1. Separations
For a child, facing separation from parents can be quite distressing. The attachment that one has to parents from a very young age can cause the child to end up worrying continuously and, to a large extent, for the well-being of their parents.
2. Phobias
A bad experience of a child can end up causing a phobia To give another example, a child who feels that he has been bitten by a dog as a child may experience an animal phobia that, if not treated, can last the rest of his life.
3. Social problems
Relationships between children They are often complicated. Nowadays it is quite common to deal with the issue of bullying in schools, since it poses serious problems for many children that prevents them from interacting correctly in the future.
4. Important changes
In addition to the separation of parents, other important changes such as a family loss, change of city or experiencing some negative situations at home, can cause this anxiety.
We must not forget that the events that can cause a child’s anxiety, in addition to being outside, can be found within one’s own family environment
How can parents help overcome their children’s anxiety?
Parents are a fundamental figure when it comes to helping their children overcome these anxiety disorders. At Atlas Psychologists Tres Cantos recommend this series of tips so that parents not only identify, but also help overcome their children’s anxiety.
1. Find professional help
First of all, The most recommended solution to address the issue of your child’s anxiety is to have professional help As we see, this anxiety can be due to different factors and not all children react the same to the same stimuli. Since this is a complicated issue for them, communication with parents is not always adequate and, precisely for this reason, it is difficult to find solutions without professional help.
Seek the services of a therapist who has the appropriate training and experience to treat the step. Help from parents is also vital and must always be complemented with the professional help that the therapist can offer.
2. Communication is important
Communication must flow between parents and their child. Try to understand what fears you have and what are the reasons why you suffer from this anxiety. This communication is just as important, both with the therapist and with the child
Communication with the therapist will not only be limited to knowing the status and evolution of the child, but also receiving advice for his or her care. On the other hand, communication between parents and child should serve to help you face your fears
Try to put the therapist’s advice into practice and rationalize the problems you may have as much as possible. Learning that not all dogs bite or that not all people you can socialize with are bad are some of the most common ways to cope with fears and worries.
3. Don’t be in a hurry
Finally, don’t be in a hurry. Trying to achieve a quick recovery from the problem is likely to cause even more anxiety for the child.
It is important set small goals and may your child advance little by little. He ensures that he never gets discouraged or gives up, so it is important not only to motivate him, but also to value the entire path he has traveled.
These processes are usually complicated, but, Over time, the results come Patience is bitter but its fruit is sweet. If you follow the professional’s instructions and support your child, over time he will end up leaving behind all those ghosts that torment him and the anxiety will end up disappearing forever.
